“My Blessed Mother has warned mankind of my wrath in her desire to appease it.”

(Words of Our Lord.)

The revelations received by Sister Mary St. Peter on the worship of the Holy Face, as have already been detailed, seem to announce a second phase in the history of her communications. These taken together, have a characteristic unity, and their object will now become more definite. Henceforth it will be easy to follow up the regular course pursued by Our Lord, and to comprehend the nature of the communications made to his humble servant.

She was early imbued with his divine spirit, and by degrees the necessity of reparation became more apparent to her. In order to be more fully convinced of its absolute necessity, he leaves her for some time to her own reflections; then he gives her special instructions and indicates the worship of the Holy Face as the means of accomplishing this reparation, developing the appropriateness of this devotion with as much clearness as depth.

The sister had not as yet fathomed the secret dispensations of the Most High, and could not imagine by what means the Work of Reparation was to be accomplished; but divine Providence was preparing the way. There was one to whom we have already referred several times, who was to become the principal auxiliary of the virgin of the cloister. This most worthy instrument in the hands of God, was M. Dupont, a resident of Tours for over ten years; his reputation for sanctity was such, that he was everywhere spoken of in the city. He had gradually contracted a pious and intimate friendship with the daughters of St. Theresa, more particularly with Sister St. Peter. During the year that Henrietta, his favorite child, was preparing to make her first communion, her virtuous father took every care to prepare her worthily for so holy an action. He commended her to the prayers of the pious Carmelite, who wrote him a letter on this subject, June 4th, 1844, which merits a record’ here, at least in part.

“I accept with pleasure,” said she “the proposition of daily offering the touching prayer to the Holy Infant Jesus which you have sent us, that he may prepare this young heart to receive him with the most perfect dispositions. I am not worthy of communicating directly with the Infant Jesus, but I will beseech. Mary and Joseph to offer my prayer, and to present your dear lit tie daughter to the Holy Child, that the day of her first communion may be the day of her espousals with him.” “Permit me, dear sir, to beg a favor of you, in the name of the child Jesus: that you would please offer him three wax tapers, to be burned in honor of the Holy Family that you may to obtain the accomplishment of your desires; for the Child Jesus takes a special pleasure in illuminations; he has granted a great grace to Sr. Margaret of the Blessed Sacrament, after having performed this simple and innocent practice of devotion. Our good and reverend mother has often given us the means of offering him this pleasure, but at present I am very poor, and have no candles to offer him.” Henrietta’s father was not slow in fulfilling this pious request of the sister, which was perfectly conformable to his own ideas. We shall cite another letter, dated July 26th, 1845, when the Carmelite virgin wrote to this holy man requesting him to lend her a pious book treating on the Holy Eucharist:

“Our reverend mother begs you to procure me a book entitled, Triumph of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament. She does not know where the one belonging to us has been put, for we have not seen it since our removal, and as have no fervor I want to procure this book whatever it may cost, for I hope to find wherewith to enkindle in my soul the love of Jesus in the most Blessed Sacrament.”

Mgr. Morlot was not ignorant of the relations existing between the pious layman and the Carmelites; when in the month of March, 1844, he had authorized the publication of the prayers of Reparation, M. Dupont, with his consent, became the zealous propagator. In the month of October following, Monseigneur wrote to him, enclosing a letter which he had just received on this subject; “I take the liberty of addressing this letter to M. Dupont, begging him to answer it for me. I also enclose two copies lately received from Rome, which makes me desirous of a new edition of the prayers for the association, under the patronage of St. Louis, to which should be added a notice on indulgences more to the purpose than the present one.”

“Yours most humbly and devotedly in Our Lord,

† F. N.-A. B. of Tours.”

This intimate and confidential friendship with the Carmelites on the one hand and with the venerable archbishop on the other, at once revealed the important part assigned M. Dupont in this work; Providence was planning the delicate mission which he was soon to fulfil.

But we have come to the year 1846; after what we have related in the preceding chapter, a long silence of six months ensued, that is from March 28rd to October 4th; nothing more was revealed concerning the work of Reparation and the devotion to the Holy Face. Divine Providence seemed to be leaving time for reflection to these holy souls, to prepare them for the efficacious grace which France was about to receive. In fact, nothing less than a miracle was about to be performed, to enlighten and move all Catholic hearts to repentance.

We here refer to the apparition of the Blessed Virgin at La Salette, on the 19th of September, 1846.— Between this ever memorable event and the communications of Sr. St. Peter there exists a marvelous affinity, which, we must not fail to observe. The authority of Mr. Dupont in such a matter, is of the greatest importance; the account in detail which we have in his own words will serve to guide us. Before opening the subject, the pious narrator certified to the “truth” of his narrative, “in which!’ states he, “according to my poor conception, we may behold a prophetic announcement of the glorious event which took place at La Salette.”

“In 1846, toward the beginning of the month of September, on the eve of departure for St. Servan, in Brittany, I went to receive the commissions of the reverend mother, who had some relatives at St. Malo.”

“I was obliged to write a long list, so numerous were the commissions given me, and in the meantime, we entertained ourselves on the divine mission of Sister St. Peter.”

“‘I shall relate to you what she has just told me,’ said the reverend mother, and as I had a pencil in hand I wrote as follows: “Our Lord addressing himself to the sister said: My Mother has spoken to men of my displeasure; she desires to disarm my justice and she has shown me her maternal heart, saying: ‘O my Divine Son, behold this heart which has so loved thee! Let me shower benedictions on my other children! After which she descended to the earth. Have confidence in her.’ I placed these lines in my prayer-book, and thought no more about them. Was I not in the presence of a mysterious language, in which the past was confounded with the present and the future!”

“Reflecting on these things, I came to the conclusion that I was not mistaken in my conviction that the sister was the favored confident of Jesus Christ. This conviction was confirmed when on the 22nd of October, of the same year, I received a copy of the first letter of M. le Curé de Corps, respecting the apparition of the Blessed Virgin at La Salette, which took place on the 19th of September. This was the fulfilment of the prediction made in the first part of September to Sister M. St. Peter. I made a copy of the note I had taken at the Carmelite monastery, and hastened to remit it to the Curé de Corps, who replied without delay. From the outset, I believed in the heavenly mission of the sister; to-day, if I can so express myself, I believe double-fold.”

M. Dupont concludes with an observation explaining why this communication is not to he found among the sister’s letters, which at the same time throws more light on the method of direction pursued by the mother prioress with regard to her spiritual daughter.

“I made it a rule,” said he, “never to commit to paper anything related to me concerning the communications of this sister. But it is evident in the case just related, that I acted on a happy inspiration, as the fact of which I had taken note, was not to be found among the collection of her revelations. Regarding this omission the mother prioress said to me: ‘I always require the sister to write what she has to relate to me, but it is probable that in the circumstance referred to, I listened to her account, and through forgetfulness, I may have departed from my ordinary custom to which I adhered merely to keep the sister humble, I generally say: My child, in obedience, go and write what you wish to tell me, I have no time to listen to you now. It may be that in the course of five years, I have several times forgotten to tell her to write what she desired to say, especially when the communication was short and repeated with her usual volubility, in which case she would have been very careful not to have had resort to her pen.’”

This explanation, so natural, is very simple and seemingly quite sufficient. M. Dupont concludes, that the servant of God had, some weeks previously, announced the apparition of La Salette, and the merciful intervention of Mary in favor of France.

He adds: “Is it not most astonishing to behold our august Mother, confiding to two poor little children the sorrows of her maternal heart! Mas it not sufficient that she had been sprinkled with the blood of her Divine Son on Calvary! Is it possible that an impious generation shall recall to her mind the frightful scenes perpetrated in the streets of Jerusalem by their blasphemous language! What would have become of us, if Mary had no longer power to arrest the arm of Jesus!”

Nevertheless, M. Dupont “rejoices, and is full of hope in consideration of this mark of the love of our heavenly Mother. The beautiful crown which she took in her hands before speaking to her people, announces that the succeeding revelations will be truly glorious. The most holy and Immaculate Mother of Jesus would surely not have accepted this mission if her poor children of earth would have received it to plunge themselves more and more into crime, and to draw upon themselves more terrible scourges of divine justice. For this reason I have much hope for the future of France.”

The account of this miraculous apparition, communicated by M. Dupont to the Carmelites of Tours, created a sensation among them, as can be easily imagined. The mother prioress looked upon this event as a wonderful and striking proof of the celebrity which was one day to be given to the Work of Reparation claimed by Sister St. Peter in the Name of God. The mission confided to the little shepherds of the mountain was evidently identical with that of the cloistered virgin of Carmel.

Another circumstance made known afterward to M. Dupont, and not unworthy our notice, is that long before these events took place, the pious sister had herself ardently solicited the intervention of the Blessed Virgin. Let her relate the fact herself: “Monseigneur would not take any decided step to forward this work; his prudence preventing him taking the initiative. I saw quite plainly that there was neither hope nor consolation for me but in prayer, and the intercession of Mary, our most powerful advocate; and I recited the rosary every day to obtain grace for France, and also the establishment of the Reparation in all the cities of the kingdom. All my prayers, all my communions, all my aspirations and all my thoughts were offered for the establishment of this work, so dear to my heart. I desired, if it were possible, to proclaim it all over France, by making known to my countrymen the misfortunes which menaced them. Oh! how I suffer in being the only confident in a matter of such importance, and which lam obliged to keep secret within the walls of the cloister! Oh most Holy Virgin! I implore you to come to some pious soul in the world, and make her a partaker of that which has been communicated to me in reference to France!”

We all know in what a striking manner the Blessed Virgin heard this prayer. Mary again showed that she is the “Refuge of Sinners;” she interposed herself as an afflicted and loving mother, between the wrath of God and guilty France. She presented herself to her Divine Son whom she had nurtured in his hours of infancy, and begged of him to extend his mercy to these, her other children; and that mankind might not be in ignorance of her intervention, she descended to the earth. With her own feet has she tread our soil, and has chosen the most humble messengers, who have since become so celebrated, Maximin and Melanie, two poor peasants of that part of the Alps, called “La Salette.” Through their infantine mouths, the Blessed Virgin has rebuked her people, as she lovingly styles France, her cherished kingdom, reproaching them for their impiety, so openly manifested by their contempt of the commandments of God, notably by blasphemy and the profanation of the Sunday.

“If my people will not submit,” said she, “I shall be forced to let fall the avenging arm of my Son; He is so justly irritated that I can with difficulty restrain his anger. Oh! if you knew how much I suffer for you!” And the tears streamed from her eyes; the image of the crucifix was on her heart; the instruments of the Passion, the hammer and the nails on either side, lay on her breast.(1)

The two shepherds related what they had heard and seen; they underwent cross questioning and contradiction, but their message become known, and gave to the Christian world an impulse which has not since ceased. In vain have the powers of earth endeavored to place obstacles in the way of the apparition becoming known, they but confirmed the testimony of the children; Catholic France recognized her crime and feared the chastisement; she has entered on the path of reparation.

Our seraphic little Sr. St. Peter intones a hymn of gratitude and joy on this occasion: “I render thee thanks, O divine Mother! for having given me these two little shepherds as sounding trumpets, to cause the mountains to re-echo in the ears of France, that which was made known to me in solitude. The voices of my two little associates were soon heard all over the earth, and their announcements produced a great impression on mankind. The striking relationship between their communication and those which I have received, leads my superiors to think that it might be useful to give information of the fact for the glory of God and the advancement of his work. Our Lord in the Gospel has said: ‘Blessed be thou, O Father, because thou hast concealed these things from the great and wise of this world and hast revealed them to little ones.’”

“It seems to me that these words can be applied to the poor little instruments of which God has made use for the establishment of the Reparation in the Church. O my God, how incomprehensible are thy ways! Who would not be astonished on beholding the instruments which our Lord Jesus and his most Holy Mother have made use of in bringing forth this work! They have chosen from earth a helpless trio most ignorant and despicable, in whose souls he has worked wonders of grace, in order to render them capable of acting in concert for the accomplishment of the designs of the most adorable Trinity and for the glory of his Holy Name. The first is a little shepherdess, who consecrated herself to the Child Jesus to watch over his sheep from the mountain heights of Carmel; the others are two little shepherds who tended their flocks on the mountains of La Salette. These three little beings are commissioned to announce pardon and mercy, if the people return to God by penance.”

The three messengers labored together at the same work, each one performing his part according to his profession; the little shepherdess of Carmel is charged to pray, to write and to maintain silence in her solitude; the little shepherds of La Salette, on the contrary, to proclaim their mission from the summit of their mountains, to appear in public before the multitude who would come to listen to their predictions. Soon the entire nation was aware of the crimes, for which Heaven reproached the land, which enkindled the divine wrath against them: they are in consternation and demand what is to be done to disarm the vengeance of an offended God.

Be consoled, O France! the shepherdess of Carmel knows the secret! Go and visit her. Like the shepherds of La Salette, she will say to you: God is provoked against his people because of blasphemy and the violation of the Sunday. Over four years she has heard the growling storm in the distance, threatening to descend in torrents over France: but your fate is in your own hands. Offer reparation for your crimes and you will obtain mercy; you will then behold “the milk and honey,” flowing forth from the “Mountain of God.” Mary is this mysterious Mountain, who by the excellence of her virtues is raised above the angels and saints.

However, let not our confidence be presumptuous. Let us pray earnestly, and weep over our sins; for a time will come, not far off in the future, when France will be shaken even to her very foundations. Then shall she tremble, but she shall not be overwhelmed if the Work of Reparation appear before the eyes of the Lord in every city of the kingdom; those now marked out to be reduced to ashes will be but slightly injured.”

1. A strange fact, relative to La Salette, and bearing every evidence of truth, dated November 25th, 1846, only five weeks after the apparition of the Blessed Virgin, has just been made known to us. In this manuscript we read of a curious incident, which we do not find mentioned in any of the writings of the period, and which is interesting to us, as binding together the two devotions of La Salette and the Holy Face. A lieutenant, leading the recruits to Corse, passed through the village of Corps. He desired to see this child Maximin, who was brought to the hotel where he was stopping. After having heard the child’s story of the apparition, the officer asked him to sell a piece of the stone upon which the Blessed Virgin had rested. “Oh! no, sir,” said the little child, “I will give you a piece of it, but I could never sell it.” So saying, the child give the officer a fragment of the stone which he broke in halves. What was his astonishment on beholding on the stone a representation of the Face of our Lord Jesus Christ crowned with thorns. He traced a copy of this miraculous head, and gave the sketch to the mother of the child, after having affixed his signature, as did also another officer, who had witnessed the occurrence. The precious stone itself, he kept in his possession and would never consent to part with it. The narrator has drawn on his letter, a picture of this head; it is a simple sketch in outlines, with no shading, and a very good likeness of the Sacred head of Our Lord, crowned with thorns. Without attaching to this event more importance than necessary, we may, however, remark that at this time there was nowhere question of the devotion to the Holy Face, except in the writings and communications of Sister Mary St. Peter.